Prospect Park preps for turf debut in La Jolla Handicap

DEL MAR, Calif. – Prospect Park, second by a nose in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby on July 4, is set for his turf debut in the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar on Aug. 9 after a five-furlong workout on the surface Sunday.

Prospect Park worked five furlongs in 1:02.80, his second work on turf this summer.

Owned by breeders Marty and Pam Wygod and trained by Clifford Sise, Prospect Park has won 2 of 9 starts and earned $306,570. Earlier this year, he was second in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes and the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita.

The Grade 3 La Jolla is run at 1 1/16 miles on turf for 3-year-olds. Other candidates include Bolo, Hero Ten All, Om, Pain and Misery, Papacoolpapacool, and Royal Albert Hall. The race is a prep for the $250,000 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf Sept. 6.

The richest race next weekend is Saturday’s $250,000 John Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, the top race for fillies and mares on turf at the summer meeting. The probable starters are Blingismything, Elektrum, Emotional Kitten, Fanticola, Gusto Dolce, Personal Diary, and Queen of the Sand.

Also on Saturday, Swipe, winner of the Summer Juvenile Championship at Los Alamitos on July 12, will have his graded stakes debut in the $200,000 Best Pal Stakes for 2-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs. The Best Pal Stakes is a key prep race for the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs Sept. 7.